AFTER MANY YEARS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14306, 18 March 1912, Page 4

AFTER MANY YEARS.

A NAVAL DESEITTEIt ORDERED

BACK TO HIS SHIP

(srECIAI. TO ''THE PEISS")

AUCKLAND, March l<3.

After -six years of liberty and reputable citizenship, Ernest Frank Boycs ■»as this morning ordered by Mr E. Ford, J.P., to be placed on board tho warship Pioneer at Lyttelton. a charge of desertion from that vessel at Dunedin in ISOS having been preferred Jgairj.st him. The case presents some aspects of hardship, which were fully by the police on the occasions when tho defendant was brought before tho Coiiit and ie:n;uuled during the present week. IJiiye:- is a- man aged about 40 years, a:id up to the time he loit the Navy he hrui done eleven years' Fcrv.cc out tf tlu , liftocn years for. which ho had .signed on lii.s career on board the. Piunter had been marked by si)":irt work, and he was. it is stat-rd. tln> y<;u:i;;e.sl i:v.'i ever promoted '•<> tho j-kNition t>l yeoman of signals. fl'J lef*. his .-hip, married, and so:tied in tlu> Waikntii. :;'.ibseo l iu:it!y eondu'-rnj: a Eucceisiiil bu>:ness in tho IJamilt.'n district. It is alleged that ho was informed on by someone to whom i<o ';id loaned money. He was arrested early in tho v.-eek, ai;d taken to Auckland, for th*> purpose of bf'in.c brought up at tho Police Court. liomands were granted from d:iy t.> day, but ail <k'vices which v. ore s"ei in motion on his behalf to secure \y.\\\ proved futile, because of the a!i."■enfp, of provision for such in cases of d;•■< -rt:<in from the Navy. The :>:/!ito an<i counsel for t!ir> defendant both ontorrd into communicaticn with the <\ ;n----mar.der ol the I'ioncei-. and this lii.iru-Hub-Inspector Ilordry annnnr.«oii tn tin- UeiK'h that n rep'y had come, to the i iTVet that the defendant was to be placed on board the vessel.

It is understood that, while pou.>r docs not exist to enforce a deserter t<l serve time which he has lost when tlio extreme date of his service has expired..the possibility is that the do-IV-ridant will be tried under tho nav.J ivgnlations, and sentenced to ninety days' coniinement. On tlio other band, ho may be discharged, in keeping with the terms of tho pardon which is .""aid to have been granted to , all desorters from the Army and the Navy by the King, on the occasion of the recent Coronation.

.Mir Allan Moody, who appeared for the defendant, entered a strong protest against the action of the Admiralty in tho matter. This man, ho said, had been dragged from Frankton Junction, and kept in gaol for three or four days, rind then ordered to return to the wav:\hip. "It. is a most monstrous procoeding," said counsel," and shatters one's idea of patriotism. For tho last fivo or six years he has been leading a most respectable life, and if the authorities have, a sense of propriety and humanity, they will at once release him." Counsel acknowledged tho thoughtfulnoss of Sub-Inspector Hendry throughout tho proceedings. Boyes will be taken to Lyttelton under escort.